Electric-railway apparatus.



PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

G. T. WOODS. ELECTRIC RAILWAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.12, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES Patented June 14, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

GRANVILLE WOODS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL 'ELEOTRIOCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,792, dated June 14,1904;.

Application filed October 12, 1901. Serial No. 78,513. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GRANVILLE T. WooDs, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York,-in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Railway Apparatus, of which the following is a specification My presentinvention relates to improvements in electric railways of thesurface-contact or sectional-conductor type, and has for its object toproduce an efficient, safe, and reliable system in which a series ofnormally dead sectional electrical conductors are automaticallyconnected to a feeder of electrical energy. D

My invention consists of improvements in the construction andarrangement of the parts of the system with especial reference to theelectromagnetically-actuated circuit-controlling devices for connectingthe feeder with the sections of the sectional conductor, as will behereinafter more fully explained, and clearly set forth in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodimentof my invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the improved systemincluding one arrangement of the car apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side view ofa detail of the clutch mechanism used in connection with the drivingmechanism for the generator or auxiliary source of power carried by thecar.

Referring now to the drawings, B represents the main generator supplyingcurrent to the system through the main feeder K.

At O is a motor-generator, the motor 1 of which is connected to the maingenerator B and the generator 2 of which is connected to the auxiliaryfeeder or low-voltage-supply main L. The motor-generator O is adapted totransform the relatively high-voltage energy received from the generatorB into a relatively low voltage.

On most electrical railways where a number of cars are started at thesame time the main-line voltage is greatly reduced, and whenelectromagnetically-controlled switches are used to connect the workingconductor with the feeder and a series coil is employed for the purposeof holding said switches closed the fall in potential is liable topermit the switches to open. Therefore I employ a separate andindependent maintaining-circuit for the hold-up coil and supply saidmaintainingcircuit with a relatively low voltage from themotor-generator O.

The electromagnetically-actuated switches or circuit-controlling deviceswhich are adapted to connect the sections E E of the sectional conductorto the main feeder K are indicated at D D. The sections E E aresuccessively and automatically cut into circuit as the car or vehiclemoves over the roadway.

F indicates the grounded return-track rail on which runs the car-wheelG, which is electrically connected to the generator 9 10 and 'is adaptedto be connected in the car-motor circuit. The car-motor H is undercontrol of the controlling-switch I and the reversingswitch J and issupplied with current from the main feeder K through the switches D D,sectional conductor E E, and trolley or collector shoe 13 in a manner tobe hereinafter described. The auxiliary source of power or currentsupply which is used for the purpose of initially picking up theelectromagnetically-actuated switches comprises the generator 9 10,which is operated by the treadle or foot-lever 3 through theratchetand-pawl or clutch mechanism A.

Each electromagnetically-actuated circuitcontrolling device comprises amain switch which is operated by the actuating or pick-up coil 15,connected in the actuating-circuit, and is maintained in its closedposition by means of the hold-up coil 39, connected in themaintaining-circuit. The maintaining-circuit is supplied with current ata low potential from the auxiliary feeder L through the contacts 36 and37, which are controlled by current supplied from the main feederthrough the coil of the series magnet 31. The contacts 17 and 18comprise an auxiliary switch which is .adapted to open theactuating-circuit when the main switch is closed and is controlled bythe magnet 40, the coil of which is connected in the maintaining-circuitand is supplied with current at a low voltage from the auxiliaryconductor L.

The operation of the system is as follows: Current from the maingenerator Bis supplied at a relatively high potential to the main feederK and also to the motor 1 of the motor-generator C, and the generator 2supplies current at a low potential to the auxiliary main or feeder L.To initially close the switches, current is supplied to theactuatingcircuit from the generator 9 10, carried by the car. Iffoot-pressure is suddenly applied to the treadle or lever 3. of metal orother conducting material, the energy will be communicated through theconnecting-rod 4 to the crank-shaft 5, thereby rotating the wheel ordisk 6, which is secured upon said crankshaft. The movement of the wheel6 is transmitted to the ratchet-wheel 8 by means of the pawl or dog 7,pivotally mounted on the wheel 6. The armature 9,'which is directlyconnected with the ratchet-wheel 8, is thereby rotated in the field 10,and the current generated passes through the initial pick-up circuit,which may be traced as follows: through the conductor 34, contacts 11and 12, and bridging-lever 3, conductor 33, shoe 13, conductor-sectionE, conductor 14, pick-up coil 15, conductor 16, contacts 17 and 18',conductors 19 and 20 to ground at 21. The other side of the generator 910 is grounded through the controlling-resistance 25, conductor 24,wheel Gr, and return-track rail F.

The energization of the actuating-circuit causes the core 22 to be drawnup, and during such movement the core compresses the spring 50, whichthen acts as a cushion and lifts the lever 26, thereby causing thebridging member 27 of the main switch to bridge the contacts 28 and 29.Upon the closing of said main switch a circuit is completed from themain feeder K through'the contacts 27, 28, and 29 of the main switch,conductor 30, actuating-coil of the series magnet 31, conductor 32 tothe conductor-section E, and from thence through the collector-shoe 13,conductor 33, contacts 12 and 11, and bridging-lever 3, conductor 34,armature and field 9 and 10, resistance 25, conductor 24, wheel G,returnrail F to ground.

The energization of the series magnet 31 will cause the armature-lever35 to be operated against the action of the spring 49 to close themaintaining-circuit at the contacts 36 and 37. A low-voltage currentwill then flow from the auxiliary feeder L through conductor 38,contacts 36 and 37, hold-up coil 39, coil of the circuit-breaking magnet40, conductors 41 and 20 to ground at 21, it being understood that theother side of the generator 2 is grounded at 42. The completion of saidmaintaining-circuit causes the energization of the magnet 40, whichattracts its armature 43, thereby opening the actuating-circuit at thecontacts 17 and 18 and cutting the pick-up coil 15 out of circuit. Itwill of course be understood that when the lever 26 is lifted theoperating-arm 44 is moved toward the right, thereby removing thepressure of the spring 45 from the lower arm or lever 43, so that thelatter lever is free to act when the magnet 40 is energized.

Now if the controlling-switch I is moved so as to complete themotor-circuit through the resistance 25 current will flow from theenergized conductor-section E through shoe 13 and thence through thereversing-switch J, the motor H, controlling-switch I, resistance 25,conductor 24, wheel Gr, return-rail F to ground.

After the controlling-switch has been moved to complete the circuitthrough the motor H the foot of the motorman may be removed from thelever 3, so as to permit said lever to move to open the initial pick-upcircuit at the contacts 11 and 12. This movement of the treadle orfoot-lever 3 to cut the auxiliary source of power out of circuit iscaused by overbalancing the wheel 6, the weight or lug 46 being formedon said wheel, so as to throw it out of balance and cause it to normallyassume the position shown in Fig. 1.

Suppose that the car is moving from left to right. Then as soon as thecollector-shoe 13 makes an electrical connection with the section E ofthe sectional conductor a part of the main power-current will be shuntedfrom the motors into the said section E through the shoe 13. Theactuating-circuit, including the pick-up coil 15 and contacts 17 and 18of the advance switch D, will therefore be energized. The core 22 ofsaid switch will then be lifted, and the section E will be connected tothe main feeder K through the contacts 28 and 29, bridged by thebridging contact member 27. As before described with reference to switchmechanism D, upon the completion of the connection between the feeder Kand section of the sectional conductor the series magnet 31 will beenergized to cause the maintain 'ing-circuit through the hold-up coil 39to be completed at the contacts 36 and 37, and after saidmaintaining-circuit has been completed the circuit-breaking magnet 40will cause the actuating-circuit to be broken at the contacts 17 and 18.A further movement of the shoe 13 sufficient to cause it to leave thesectional conductor E will deprive the coil 31 of the switch mechanism Dof its energy. Then the spring 49 will move lever 35 so as to open themaintaining-circuit at the contacts 36 and 37 and deprive the hold-upcoil 39 of energy, thereby allowing the core 22 to begin a rapiddescent. The tension of spring 49 may be adjusted by means of screw 52.The downward movement of said core is assisted by the spring 50, whichpresses against the strap 51, and the core 22 impinges the lever 26 insuch a manner as to prevent the contact 27 from sticking to contacts 28and 29. The spring 45 now engages the lower arm of the lever 43, therebycausing the contacts 17 and 18 to be brought into engagement with eachother, thus leaving the section E .prepared for action in case a carapproachesthat section. The direction of the car movement will make nodifference inthe action of the electromagnetic pick-up apparatus.

Another reason for employing currents of different voltages is asfollows: In systems in which it is desired that the hold-up coil, suchas coil 39, be maintained in the circuitin shunt to the motor or motorscarried by the 'car a large amount of costly and very fine wire must beused; but by employing a low-voltage current in the hold-up coil muchless expensive wire will be required to accomplish the desired result.

If occasion should require it, current from K may be fed to the pick-upapparatus by shifting a switch, such as 54:,so as to cut the resistance'55 into the circuit between the feeder K and the maintaining-circuit.Vhen large currents are drawn to feed the drivingmotor H, a' shuntaround the coil of the series magnet 31 may be employed in such a manneras shown at 56 in switch apparatus'D. By the use of such a'shunt thecoil of magnet 31 will not have to be made unduly large. The switch 57may be employed to complete a shunt-circuit around'the contacts 28 and29 in case of trouble with thecircuits in the pick-up apparatus. Thelamps at'58 may be cut into the circuit by means of the switch 59. Thecircuit which includes said lamps at 59 maybe termed a coasting-circuit,because when such circuit is closed sufficient current will flow throughthe coil of magnet 31 to maintain an electrical 'connection between the-feeder K and the sectional conductor.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In combination, a plurality of circuits adapted to convey electricalenergy, a set of four coils arranged in connection with said circuits,and a plurality of switches adapted to act in sequence in obedience tothe energy received by such coils so that the first coil receivingenergy controls the circuit of the second coil, the second coil thencontrols the circuit through the third and fourth coils,

the third coil then sustains the act of the first coil and the fourthcoil controls the circuit of the first coil.

2. In an electric railway, the combination with the source of electricalenergy, of a cardriving motor, a normally dead sectional workconductor,electromagnetic devices adapted to connect and disconnect the sectionsof said sectional conductor to and from said source of energy, each ofsaid electromagnetic devices having four coils and three switches, oneof said coils being adapted to initially actuate one of said switches,another of said coils be:

ing arranged to maintain said switch in the position to which the firstcoil moved it, a third one of said coils controlling the second switchto govern the circuit of said second coil, and the remaining coil andswitch being adapted to control the circuit of said initiallyactuatingcoil.

3. In an electric railway, the combination with a feeder, of a singleseries of normally dead work-conductor sections, anelectromagnetically-actuated primary switch for each of saidwork-conductor sections, a connection from each of said sections toground or return main including an initially-actuating coil for movingsaid primary switch, a switch for controlling said return connectionthrough said initially-actuating coil, a circuit-breaking coil adaptedto open the latter switch and break said return connection, aholding-coil in circuit with said circuit-breaking coil and adapted tohold said primary switch closed, a circuit-controlling switch for thecircuit of said holding-coil, and a coil in series with the cardrivingmotor and adapted to control the latter switch.

4. In an electric railway, the combination of the main feeder, anauxiliary feeder, a return-conductor, a car-driving motor in electricalcommunication between said main feeder and said return-conductor, and anelectromagnetic device in circuit with said motor and adapted to controlthe circuit connections from said feeder to said motor, the saidelectromagnetic device including four coils, the initially-acting coilbeing in shunt to said motor, another coil being in series with saidmotor, the remaining coils being in series with each other and receivinga low-voltage current from said auxiliary feeder, the two former coilsbeing energized by a high-voltage current from the power-circuit.

5. In a sectional-conductor railway system, a main circuit, acircuit-controlling device having switch-contacts adapted to controlsaid main circuit, an initially-operating circuit adapted to' receiveenergy from said main circuit and containing contacts adapted to connectsaid operating-circuit to said main circuit, and an auxiliary circuithaving contacts adapted to convey energy to maintain the action of saidoperating-circuit.

6. In asectional-conductor railway system, a circuit-controlling devicehaving switchrcontacts to control a main circuit, an actuatingcoil togovern said contacts, switch-contacts to control an auxiliary circuit,an actuatingcoil to govern the latter contacts, switch-contacts tocontrol an initially-operating circuit, and an actuating-coil to governthe latter contacts.

7. In a railway system, the combination of a single sectional conductor,a main'feeder, an auxiliary feeder, and a circuit-controlling deviceprovided with four coils and three switches, one of said coils beingconnected in circuit with one of said switches and between one sectionof said sectional conductor and the ground, another one of said coilsbeing adapted to be connected in circuit with another of said switchesand between the said conductor-section and the main feeder, and theremaining two of said coils and the remaining switch being adapted to beconnected in series between said auxiliary feeder and the ground.

8. Inan electric railway, a main or power circuit, an auxiliary orlow-voltage circuit, a single sectional work-conductor, and anelectromagnetic circuit -controlling device arranged between saidpower-circuit and a section of said work-conductor and adapted to beconnected in both of said circuits, said circuitcontrolling deviceincluding four coils and three switches, the initially-acting coilhaving one of its terminals permanently connected to a conductor-sectionand its other terminal normally connected through one of said switchesto ground, two of the remaining coils being in series with each otherand having one terminal permanently connected to ground and the otherterminal connected through another one of said switches to saidauxiliary circuit, the remaining coil having one of its terminalsarranged to be connected through the remaining switch to saidpower-circuit and its other terminal permanently connected to theconductor-section to which said initially-acting coil is connected. A

9. In a railway system of the character described, a car, normally deadconductor-sections arranged along the railway, feeder-circuits for thesystem, a circuit-controlling deviceadapted to connect one of saidconductorsections to said feeder-circuits, a generator carried by saidcar and adapted to initially actuate said circuit-controlling device, aclutch mechanism whereby said generator may be set in motion, and meansadapted to close and open the circuit of said generator.

10. In an electric railway of the character described, the combinationof the main or power circuit, the auxiliary circuit, the sectionalwork-conductor, switches for connecting the sections of the latterconductor to said power-circuit, means for actuating said switches, andmeans for connecting said auxiliary circuit so as to supply energy tomaintain said switches.

11. In an electric-railway system, a circuit-controlling device providedwith three switches which are so constructed and arranged that theswitch which is the second one to close will be the first one to open,and the switch which is the first one to close will be the second one toopen, and the opening of the latter switch will cause the third switchto close.

12. In a sectional-conductor electric-railway system, the combination ofa car, nor

circuit-controlling device adapted to connect one of saidconductor-sections to said feedercircuits, a generator carried by saidcar and adapted to generate current to initially actuate saidcircuit-controlling device, mechanical means whereby said generator maybe actuated by an initial impetus only, and a switch operatively relatedto said mechanical means for controlling the circuit of said generator.

13. In a sectional-conductor electric railway, a main source of power, amain feeder, an auxiliary feeder, a sectional conductor, an auxiliarysource of power, switches for connecting said sectional conductor tosaid main feeder, means for operating said switches from said auxiliarysource of power, and means for maintaining said switches by current fromsaid auxiliary feeder after they have been operated.

14:. In a sectional-conductor electric railway, a main source of power,a main feeder,

an ,auxiliary feeder, a sectional conductor, an auxiliary source ofpower, switches for connecting said sectional conductor to said mainfeeder, means for operating said switches from said auxiliary source ofpower, means for maintaining said switches by current from saidauxiliary feeder after they have been operated, and means for cuttingoff the supply of current from the auxiliary source of power withoutaffecting said maintaining means.

15. In a sectional-conductor electric railway, a main source of power, amain feeder, an auxiliary feeder, a sectional conductor, an auxiliarysource of power, switches for connecting said sectional conductor tosaid main feeder, means for operating said switches from said auxiliarysource of power, means for maintaining said switches by current fromsaid auxiliary feeder after they have been operated, means for cuttingoff the supply of current from the auxiliary source of power withoutaffecting said maintaining means, and means for cutting off the supplyof current from the auxiliary feeder to permit the switches to open.

16. In a sectional-conductor electric railway, a main source of power, amain feeder, an auxiliary feeder, a sectional conductor, an

auxiliary source of power, switches for connecting said sectionalconductor to said main feeder, means for operating said switches fromsaid auxiliary source of power, means for maintaining said switches bycurrent from said auxiliary feeder after they have been operated, meansfor cutting off the supply of current from the auxiliary source of powerwithout affecting said maintaining means, and means operated by thecurrent from the main feeder for controlling the supply of current fromthe auxiliary feeder to the maintaining means.

17. In a sectional-conductor electric railway, a main feeder, anauxiliary feeder, a sectional conductor, electromagnetic switches forconnecting the sections of said sectional conductor to said main feeder,an actuating-circuit and a maintaining-circuit for each switch, meansfor connecting each actuating-circuit to a suitable source of power toclose said switches, and means for connecting each maintaining-circuitto said auxiliary feeder to maintain said switches in their closedposition.

18. In a sectional-conductor electric railway, a main feeder, anauxiliary feeder, a sectional conductor, electromagnetic switches forconnecting the sections of said sectional conductor to said main feeder,an actuating-circuit and a maintaining-circuit for each switch, meansfor connecting said actuating-circuit to a suitable source of power toclose said switches, means for connecting each maintaining-circuit tosaid auxiliary feeder to maintain said switches in their closedposition, and means controlled by said electromagnetic switches andoperated by current from the main feeder for connecting themaintainingcircuit to the auxiliary feeder after the switch has closed.

19. In a sectional-conductor electric railway, a main feeder, anauxiliary feeder, a sectional conductor, electromagnetic switches forconnecting the sections of said sectional conductor to said main feeder,an actuating-circuit and a maintaining-circuit for each switch, meansfor connecting each actuating-circuit to a suitable source of power toclose said switches, means for connecting each maintaining-circuit tosaid auxiliary feeder to maintain said switches in their closedposition, means controlled by said electromagnetic switches and operatedby current from the main feeder for connecting the mantainingcircuit tothe auxiliary feeder after the switch has closed, and means fordisconnecting said actuating-circuit from said source of power withoutaffecting the connections of said maintaming-circuit.

20. In a sectional-conductor electric railway, a main feeder, anauxiliary feeder, a sectional conductor, connections between thesections of said sectional conductor and said main feeder, switches insaid connections, an actuating-coil and a maintaining-coil for each ofsaid switches, means for connecting said actuating-coil normally in acircuit from a conductor-section to the return, means actuated bycurrent from the main feeder for completing the circuit from saidauxiliary feeder to the maintaining-coil, and means for opening thecircuit through the actuating-coil after the maintaining-coil has beenenergized.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this th day of July, A. D. 1898.

' GRANVILLE T. IVOODS. lVitnesses:

LYATES IVoons, E. O. KELLY.

